Hope
by featherkitten
Summary: The book had just appeared in the library one day. Lacey didn't know where it had come from but she knew exactly who needed it. It's been ten years since Emma gave up Henry and now it's time for her to meet her destiny. Rating might change. Please review.
1. Chapter 1

I did this once before but ended up deleting it.

* * *

 _Belle's hair was long and matted, her dress a dirty grey rag. She looked out the barred window of her cell. Purple smoke was consuming the land, moving quickly towards the Evil Queen's castle. Belle doubted that any could escape it. A tear ran down her face.  
_

 _"Huntsman?" Her voice was hoarse from years of barely speaking. She had heard his footsteps outside her door earlier and knew that he was there for her, for her last moments. There was no reason to guard her now. Surely he couldn't have missed what was coming towards the castle._

 _"Belle." He said her name softly. If he still had a heart, he would have cried along with her._

 _"I don't blame you. Whatever she made you do. You have a kind heart, I can feel it." The Huntsman had used to bring her books and candlelight to read by. Sometimes scraps of paper to write on. It wasn't often, there was only so much that she could fit and hide in her cell.  
_

 _The Huntsman wanted to scoff, he had no heart at all let alone a kind one. He watched her through the window of the cell door instead."Thank you."  
_

 _The smoke reached the castle and Belle was flung back. The sounds of shattered glass echoed in her ears.  
_

* * *

Lacey French was taking books from a cart and putting them on the shelves. She picked up a large book and looked it over. The cover read _Once Upon A Time_. She flipped through the book but couldn't find an author or any kind of credit.

Lacey went to the computer and checked the database, and then searched the net. There was no mention of it anywhere. She would have put it in the lost and found bin but something told her to keep it. Lacey smiled, thinking that she knew exactly who needed the book.

At recess Lacey found Henry sitting by himself with his head down staring at the table. "Hello Henry."

Henry looked up at her. "Miss French."

"I have something for you." Lacey got the book out of her bag and set it on the table. "I found it while shelving books today. It's the oddest thing, the book doesn't seem to exist as far as records are concerned."

"Thank you." Henry picked up the book.

"It's not a problem. Stories can really help us when we feel lonely. Give us hope."

* * *

Ashley was always pregnant and never gave birth. He was the only one who ever moved up a grade and the only one who ever aged. He had thought he was going crazy, that there must be something wrong with him. Now all the pieces were sliding into place and it was thanks to the book. The realization was both freeing and terrifying.

He can't look at his mom the same way ever again.

* * *

He felt bad about taking Miss French's credit card but she would understand why soon enough. Henry stood on his toes to ring the doorbell. The woman from the bus answered the door. He had never expected to met her twice. He considered that he could have saved himself some of the trip but decided that she would have more likely brushed him off.

"Uh? Can I help you?"

"Are you Emma Swan?"

"Yeah. Who are you?"

"My name's Henry. I'm your son." He pushed past her into the apartment, not giving her a chance to protest.

* * *

Henry wished that Archie hadn't given Emma his address. They could have slept in her yellow bug or maybe Granny would have taken pity on them. He threw his bag onto the floor and flopped onto his bed. Soon he heard someone coming up the stairs. Graham opened the door and closed it after he entered Henry's room.

Graham walked over to Henry's bed and once there crouched down on his knees. "Henry?"

"Yes?" he mumbled against his pillow.

"You really worried has us worried. Anything could have happened to you."

Henry didn't miss that Graham said us. _You should have just said I. She doesn't care about me, she's evil._ After some silence Henry got the feeling that Graham was waiting for him to say something. Henry lifted his head up to look at Graham. He couldn't help feeling guilty when he realized how tired Graham looked.

"She has to be here, she's important."

Graham's smile was soft. "I'm sure she is."

Henry lied back down and faced the ceiling. He stifled a yawn, not wanting to fall asleep before he could see Emma leave. "I didn't mean to worry you. Everything's going to change soon, we'll have hope."

"There's always hope Henry." Graham stood up. "Get some sleep."

"Good night."

Graham closed the door softly behind him when he left. After assuring Regina that Henry was fine he waited outside to see Emma off. Even after she drove off, he hoped Emma would change her mind. More than Henry needing her, having her in town felt right somehow.

* * *

 _The Evil Queen's castle was in chaos. Many of Regina's men were fleeing, trampling over each other as they went. The curse came without warning, devouring the land as it spread. Some hide in the underground of the castle where the cells where, not that it would do any good. There was no hiding from or out running this.  
_

 _Her vault of hearts was likely unguarded but there was no way the Huntsman would remember which box his was in, especially not with so little time to spare. He ran up the stairs to Belle's tower instead. He could set her free if only for a moment. At the very least he could apologize to someone he wronged while under Regina's control.  
_

* * *

Emma was driving out of Storybrooke when she looked at the passenger seat and saw Henry's book. She smiled. "Sneaky bastard."

A wolf was in front of her car when she looked back. She swerved, hitting the entrance sign instead and blacking out.

Emma awoke to whistling. She looked over to the cell next to hers. A short scruffy looking man with a beard was whistling. Outside the cells a man was repairing a cabinet.

"What are you looking at, sister?"

"Hey, Leroy—manners!" the man said. "We have a guest!" Emma stood up and walked towards the bars, her footing felt unsteady. "So you are eh, Henry's mother. How lovely for him to have you back in his life." Emma touched her forehead, her head was throbbing. She tried not to think about the other time she had been thrown into jail.

"Actually, I was just dropping him off." Her comment lead to a short argument between the men. Then Sheriff Graham came to let Leroy out.

"Seriously?" Emma had her face pressed against the bars, her arms rested outside the bars. Of course the Sheriff didn't believe her about the wolf. She wondered if there was a zoo here, anywhere the wolf could have escaped from. Then Regina came in looking for Henry and Graham not believing her about the wolf, no longer mattered to her.

* * *

Regina, Emma and Graham were in Henry's room. Emma was going through Henry's computer. Graham next to her and Regina watched them.

"Smart kid," Emma said. As much as she disapproved she was impressed. Most kids wouldn't have thought things through that much, some criminals wouldn't have. "Cleared his inbox. I'm smart too, a little hard disk recovery utility I like to use."

"I'm a bit more old-fashioned, in my techniques," Graham said. "Pounding the pavement, knocking on doors, that sort of thing."

 _Of course you are,_ Emma thought. He looked old fashioned, the whole town did really. Like something out of time, maybe that had started Henry thinking time was frozen here.

"You're on salary," she reminded him. "I get paid for delivery. Pounding pavement is not a luxury that I get. Ah, there's a receipt for a website, —it's expensive. He has a credit card?"

"He's ten," Regina said.

"Well, he used one. Let's pull up a transaction record. Lacey French, who's Lacey French?"

"The town librarian and Henry's school teacher," Regina said.

* * *

Lacey stood in front of a classroom of young kids. The desks are put together in pairs of four and each kid has a bird house and paint supplies on their desk. Her hair was in a loose bun, she wore a pink cardigan, jeans and worn in sneakers. She wore a large blue handbag.

"It's important to remember that we're not keeping the birds caged," she said. "If you love them you'll let them be free. And they love you they will come back to you." The bell rang. "We'll pick this up after recess. No running!" A student handed her a pear before leaving. "Thank you." She put the pear in the front pocket of her handbag.

Regina shoved her way through the students leaving. Emma trailed in after her.

"Miss Mills?" Lacey asked. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"Where's my son?" Regina demanded. Emma kept at the back, keeping a close eye on Lacey.

"When he didn't show up to class I assumed he was home sick with you." Lacey put her hand on her chest. "I can check the library."

She walked towards the door and Regina held out her arm to stop her. "Did you give him your credit card to find her?"

Lacey had barely noticed the woman when she first came in, too concerned with Regina. "Sorry but who are you?"

"I'm his... his," Emma stammered.

"The woman who gave him up for adoption," Regina said, glaring daggers. "If your hiding him remember that I can get that library shut down faster than-"

Emma pushed Regina's arm away. "You don't know anything about this do you?"

"Nothing," Lacey said. She went through her handbag and got out her wallet, Emma was sure that she saw a book in there. She looked through her wallet and realized her credit card was gone. "Clever boy. Maybe that book was a bad idea."

"What in the hell is this book I keep hearing about?" Lacey jumped at Regina's tone.

"Just fairy-tales. Henry is so smart and creative, and lonely. He needed some adventure." Lacey cleared her throat. "In the literature form."

"What he needs is a dose of reality," Regina said. "This is a waste of time. I already checked the library."

"That would have been nice to know before we came here," Emma said. Regina turned and pushed past Emma, knocking over a pile of books as she left. Lacey rushed to pick the books up.

She looked back at Emma. "Have a nice trip back to Boston." Then she was off.

"Sorry to bother you," Emma said. She walked over, knelled down and picked up a book. "You're..err, really passionate about books. How was a storybook supposed to help?"

"Fairy-tales are classics are a reason. We need a way to deal with a world that doesn't always make sense. We can adventures and get to know characters when there's no one else. Henry hasn't had an easy life."

"Yeah, she's kind of a hard-ass." Emma smiled, she wished the librarians she had known as a kid had possessed Lacey's unbridled enthusiasm. Hell under different circumstances she wouldn't mind taking Lacey out for a drink.

"It's more than her." Lacey put the books back onto the desk, Emma handed her the book she had picked up. "He's like any adopted child, wondering why anybody would ever give him away." Belle's eyes widened and she put her hand over her mouth. "Oh, I'm so sorry! I'm sure you had your reasons. I don't mean to judge you."

"It's okay." _I was dumb enough to get arrested. To trust someone._

"I gave Henry that book to give him hope in a happy ending. We should all have that."

Emma's eyes widened."You know where he is, don't you?"

"Check his castle."

* * *

After finding Henry and her conversation with Regina, Emma was exhausted. She headed over to Granny's Bed and Breakfast. When she got there an old lady who she assumed was Granny, was arguing with a younger woman.

"Excuse me? I'd like a room."

"Really?" Granny asked. Emma nodded and Granny got the ledger out. How rare were visitors if her wanting to stay was a surprise? "Would you like a forest view or a square view? Normally, there's an upgrade fee for the square but, as friends do, I'll wave it."

"Square is fine."

"Now, what's the name?"

"Swan, Emma Swan."

An old man entered the inn and stood behind Emma but she didn't notice him right away. "Emma. What a lovely name."

"Thanks." Emma looked back at him.

Granny held out a roll of bills. "It's all here."

He reached out and took the money. "Yes, yes, of course it is, dear. Thank you." He looked back to Emma. "You enjoy your stay…Emma." He said her name like he was testing the sound of it. They watched him leave.

Meanwhile Lacey was locking up the library, having no idea that Rumpelstiltskin was thinking of her. Henry was in his room, looking out his window at the town clock. Emma took a room key, the clock started moving and Henry smiled.


	2. The Thing You Love Most

Pissedoffatouat: I'm not sure. Depends on people's interest I guess. I was having a discussion with someone on tumblr when I got the idea for this fanfic. Belle actually got a much crueller punishment in the series than Snow when Snow was the one Regina really hated.

I think there's a lot of ways Henry could figure out that Ashley was way overdue. I don't think sex education is taught at his age but he has access to TV and internet. I remember that plenty of shows actually mentioned pregnancies lasting months, though the only example coming to mind is Friends and people have pointed out that the time line of Phoebe's pregnancy doesn't check out. He could have gotten curious and looked up medical facts regarding to it. He could have asked Dr Whale, or Ashley or some other adult when Ashley's baby was due and realised that things weren't adding up when she was years overdue. He could have overheard people saying Ashley was going to have a baby soon for several years if it was commonly gossiped about.

shesheinhouston: thanks for the fave.

kilobyte5000: thanks for the alert.

* * *

Lacey approached Emma as she saw Henry run off towards the school.

"It's good to see him happy again. And its all thanks to you."

"I didn't do anything," Emma said.

"You stayed and that means everything." Lacey looked around nervously before asking "Does the mayor know you're still here?" as if Regina might appear out of nowhere.

"Oh, she knows." Regina had made that very clear and given Emma the weirdest conversation she had ever had. "What is her deal? She's not a great people person, how did she get elected?"

Lacey looked thoughtful. "I don't know. She's been mayor as long as I can remember. No one has ever been brave enough to run against her. She inspires a lot of fear. I made everything worse when I gave Henry that book. I thought that he needed stories to get him through, but now he thinks she's the Evil Queen."

"Who does he think you are?" Emma had asked to make the conversation more light but now that she thought about it she was really curious.

"I don't know. Maybe I'm not in the book." Lacey smiled. "I wonder if everyone else is. I love books so much, I feel a little left out." Lacey giggled.

Emma laughed. The school bell rang in the distance.

"Who does he think you are?"

"I'm not in the book," Emma lied. It felt easier than explaining that she was Snow White's daughter. Besides Lacey might tell Regina and then Henry would be upset. "Can I ask you a favour? Regina mentioned the kid's in therapy; do you know where I can find the doctor?"

* * *

It was a setup. No wonder Archie had given up Henry's file so easily. Sheriff Graham thought that Emma had argued with Archie and then later come back and stolen Henry's file. No wonder why Henry was running away, that woman really was crazy.

After Graham cuffed her she said, "You know I'm being set up, don't you?"

"And whom, may I ask, is setting you up?"

"The mayor." She knew that he wouldn't believe her but it was worth a try."

"Right."

* * *

Inside Storybrooke Sheriff Department Graham was taking mugshots of Emma. For his whole life nothing had really happened in this town. The biggest event before this had been Henry coming to town ten years ago. Most of his life left hazy, almost as if he was dreaming.

"You know the shrink is lying, right?"

"To the right, please." Emma turned to the right and he snapped a photo. Graham did know that Emma had looked genuinely surprised when he arrested her. "Why would he lie?"

"The Mayor put him up to this.. she's gotta have something on him. He's terrified of her, like everyone else in this—–town."

"To the left." Emma turned to the left. "Regina may be a touch intimidating, but I don't think she'd go as far as a frame-job." That was a lie and Graham knew that. When all this came to a head, Graham wondered if Archie would stick to the lie or if he would fold.

"How far would she go? What does she have her hands in?

"Well, she's the Mayor. She has her hands in everything."

"Including the police force?"

Graham gaped in surprise. Whatever he was going to say was forgotten as soon as he saw Henry running in with Lacey French.

"HEY!" Henry yelled.

"Henry! Henry, what are you doing here?"

"His mother told him what happened," Lacey answered. She looked surprisingly confident. The image that was oddly familiar though Graham had no idea why. Lacey had always been the nervous type. Out of all the townsfolk she was probably the most scared of Regina.

"Of course she did!" Emma went over to Henry and bent down to his eye level. "Henry, I don't know what she said-"

"You're a genius!" Henry's smile was bright."

"What?" Emma asked.

"I know what you were up to," Henry said. "You were gathering intel." His voice was so low that he was almost whispering when he said "For 'Operation Cobra'."

"I'm sorry," Graham said. "I'm a bit lost.." _I'm a lot lost,_ Graham thought. _Are cobras part of his fairy tales?_

"It's need to know, Sheriff, and all you need to know is that Miss French's gonna bail her out.

"You are?" Emma asked. "Why?"

Graham found himself continuing to agree with her confusion. Everything was starting to feel off kilter. Perhaps it had from the moment he had talked to Emma before she tried to leave town.

"I know that this doesn't make sense but I trust you." Lacey smiled sheepishly.

Emma turned towards Graham. "Well. If you could uncuff me.." she extended her cuffed wrists towards him, "..I have something to do."

* * *

 _Belle stood straight and glared daggers at the Huntsman and the other guard after they had thrown her into her room in the tower. The room was sparse with a bed in the corner and straw on the floor. There was one window that was bared._

 _"Her rein will end one day and what will become of you then?"_

 _The Huntsman closed the door in her face and locked it. Belle ran to the door and pounded against it._

 _"She can get what she wants if she just let's me go! I can still cure him!"_

* * *

In hindsight cutting down Regina's apple tree hadn't been the smartest idea. Rather than getting her arrested again Regina had gotten her kicked out of Granny's. Then she invited her over just so Henry could hear her call his fantasies crazy. The last thing Regina had said left Emma feeling cold.

 _Your move. Is this a game to her? How can she treat her son like this?_

Emma made her way to the library. She hoped that Lacey was still there. Emma headed through the doors and towards the front desk once she was at the library. Lacey sat at the front desk and looked up at Emma.

"Everyone else went home, huh?"

"Actually no one else works here. I guess no one else really cares about books like I do."

Emma's eyes widened. "That's a lot of work for one person."

"It's not usually that busy. A lot of the time I just spend the day dusting."

"Still sounds like a lot of work to me. But I didn't come here just to talk about the library." Emma slide an envelope over to her. "To pay you back the bail money. Thank you. I still don't understand why you did it."

Lacey chewed her lip nervously. "This is going to sound crazy. I think there's something off about Regina. Something I can't quite grasp. For what it's worth I you're innocent. You have a good heart, I can see that in the way you are with Henry."

"I'm starting to reevaluate my definition of crazy. Innocent of breaking and entering or just in general?"

"Both?" Lacey seemed to think that she had said too much and looked down at the desk.

"Doesn't really matter what anyone thinks I did or didn't do. I'm leaving. Thank you for everything, but I think it's for the best. If I stay, Henry's only gonna keep getting hurt."

"Don't go. Henry needs you. Who else will protect Henry if you won't?"

"Thanks Lacey. I have to go."

Lacey had given Emma the push she needed to find Henry and apologise to him. It didn't matter if Regina did find out that she had crashed Henry's therapy session. All that mattered was letting Henry know that she was here for him.


	3. I feel like I know you

baratta. jennifer: thanks. I have to put a space after the period because for some reason your name disappears if I don't.

ArianaKristine: I'm really excited that you find this interesting. I'm a big fan of yours. Yeah, Regina no doubt thought that seeing Snow terrified of her and walking around miserable would be more fun. But even Maleficent got a worse deal and she was supposed to be Regina's friend. I guess they must have had a falling out before the curse was cast. Unless Regina didn't have control over what happened to Maleficent and it was Rumple's doing, but then you'd think that would be mentioned eventually especially since the writers later brought Maleficent back to life. I love Graham and hope I do him justice in my writing. And thank you for the alert!

paulaa90: thanks for the fave and alert.

* * *

Dr. Whale and Lacey are on a date at Granny's Diner. She sipped her ice tea and looked at him. She had an ice tea and a burger while he had a cup of coffee. This was her first date in forever and Lacey had the feeling that he wasn't really that interested. Lacey hadn't been sure if she should say yes when he asked her out but she knew that she wouldn't find love if she didn't at least try.

"Um, where were we? Something about you wanting fifteen kids?"

Lacey choked on her ice tea and coughed. "No! Fifteen kids in my class. You'll meet them tomorrow."

Dr. Whale nodded in understanding, his gaze drifted to Ruby who was behind Lacey clearing tables in the background, and scantily clad in a white shirt showing her midriff with a red mini-skirt and high heels.

"They're coming to the hospital as part of the Volunteer Outreach Program," Lacey said. She fiddled with her napkin. "Remember?"

Dr. Whale's gaze followed Ruby as she moved to another table almost directly behind Lacey. He quickly shifted his eyes back in time to respond. "Oh, yeah. That is a great program."

"Fifteen kids is a lot." Lacey laughed, and looked down at her drink. "Not that I don't want kids. I do. Kids, marriage, fairy tale romance. But that of course is..." Lacey looked up and realised that he wasn't paying attention at all. She looked behind to see what Dr. Whale was staring at. "... totally inappropriate to discuss on a first date." She wants to spit out 'not as inappropriate as checking out the waitress on a first date' but just thinking of saying those words makes her feel anxious.

"Hmm?" Dr. Whale asked.

"Ruby?"

Ruby stopped and turned around while holding the tray in the air with one hand _._ "Yes, Lacey?"

Lacey sighed. "Check, please."

* * *

 _Sunshine streamed from her window. Belle leaned outside an open window and watched a bird make a nest in a nearby tree._

 _She closed her eyes, focusing on the wind in her face. What she wouldn't give to be out in the world having adventures. But there weren't many woman adventurers in her land. Women were never given such chances. And she had a duty to her kingdom._

 _Belle took a deep breath and let it out. She was going to marry Gaston and never get to live the life she wanted. All the castle left like, was a beautiful cage._

* * *

Lacey was walking down the street after leaving her date. That might have been the worst date she had ever been on. She couldn't remember her other dates or if she had been on other dates.

 _I guess that's just what life is like_ , Lacey thought. _Everything blurs together and most of it gets forgotten._

She stopped and stared ahead, noticing a familiar face. Lacey approached a car, and found Emma sitting inside while reading the newspaper with a flashlight.

"Are you okay?"

Emma turned off the flashlight and looked up at her. "Oh, in the world of tight spots I've been in, crashing in my car doesn't even rank in the top ten."

Lacey blinked in surprise. "You're sleeping here?"

"Til I find a place."

Lacey grinned from ear to ear. She wanted to hug Emma. "You stayed for Henry."

"Yeah, I guess. This town doesn't seem to have any vacancies. None, actually. Is that normal?"

Lacey shrugged. "Must be the curse."

"Why are you out so late?"

Lacey frowned. "I had a date."

"Didn't go well, huh? Tell me he at least paid."

"We split the bill." Emma groaned. "I had a bigger meal, I felt bad. It's not important. But this is. Come live with me. I have some extra room."

"Thanks. I'm not really the roommate type. It's just not my thing. I do better on my own."

"Well, goodnight," Lacey said. "Good luck with Henry." She paused and tried to think of something to say to convince her. "If you ever want to talk you can come find me."

"Thanks." Emma gazed at Lacey as she walked away.

* * *

The kids from Lacey's class were hanging decorations around the hospital. Lacey noticed Henry in the ICU unit at a man's bedside. He reached out to touch the man's face when Lacey walked in. The man had the same scar as Prince Charming. In fact he looked exactly like the illustration of Prince Charming. Henry longed to tell her that this was Emma's father.

Lacey wore a flowery dress like the kind women much older usually did, a pair of worn out sneakers and had her ponytail neatly done with a purple hair band that had a silver star on top.

"Henry. We could really use your help with the decorations."

"Is Mr. Doe going to be okay, Miss French?"

"His name isn't John Doe. It's what the hospital and police call someone when they don't know who they are."

"Do _you_ know who he is?" Perhaps Miss French had met Prince Charming once upon a time. Anything was possible, wasn't it? Perhaps they had been friends.

"Sorry, I don't have a clue. I just bring him flowers on my rounds."

"What's wrong with him?"

"I don't know. He's been like this as long as I've been volunteering."

"Does he have any family or friends?"

"No one's claimed him, that's why they don't know who he is."

"So, he's all alone." Prince Charming wasn't meant to be alone. He was meant to be with Snow and Emma and him.

"Yeah."

"There's no way to find his family?" Snow and Charming would always find each other. They had to. They were each others true loves.

"I'm sure that Sheriff Graham did all that he could. We have to go. We're not supposed to be here."

As they left the ICU as Henry stole a glance back. _Don't worry Grandpa_ , Henry thought. _I'll figure out how to wake you._

* * *

Emma and Henry sat at the castle in the playground near the shore. Henry showed Emma an illustration in his storybook of Prince Charming with the visible scar on his face.

"I found your father—Prince Charming."

"Henry..."

"He's in the hospital, in a coma. See the scar?" He jabbed his finger at the drawing of Charming. _"_ He has one, too."

"So? Lots of people have scars."

"In the same place? And he looks exactly like the drawing. Don't you see what this means? The curse is keeping you from him by putting him in a coma."

"Okay, kid." Emma sighed. "Is my mother there too?"

Henry looked thoughtful. "I don't think so. But maybe he'll find her once he wakes up. What if I'm right? People wake up from comas."

"Not always. Even if this man could, how on Earth do you intend to make that happen?"

"By reminding him. You have to read your story to John Doe. Then, maybe, he'll remember who he is."

Emma took a deep breath. She didn't want to play into his delusions but then this could be the best way to challenge them. "..Okay."

* * *

Emma had gone down to the hospital to ask Dr. Whale.

"You want to read to a coma patient?" Dr. Whale asked. "Talking to a coma patient can help sometimes but there's very little chance in our John Doe's case that he'd even notice."

"It can't hurt to try, can it?"

Dr. Whale took a moment to consider that. "Yeah, it can't hurt. You can do it, just don't get your hopes up."

"Thank you."

Dr. Whale nodded. "I'll have a nurse show you where his room is."

Once she was in John Doe's room, Emma took a seat and got lay Henry's storybook in her lap. Emma hoped that if she just played along and did what Henry said that when nothing happened eventually he would see that there was no curse.

 _"_ Look, I know this is odd and that you probably don't even know anyone is here. But I'm doing this for my son." Under her breath she murmured "which sounds even weirder."

"So please, just bear with me." Emma opened the storybook and began to read. "As the Prince chased the thief on horseback, through the treacherous forest, his betrothed crossed her arms and pouted, wondering how many dreadful, boring minutes it would take until they could resume their journey again. The thief vaulted over a fallen..."

Images flashed before the man's mind. _He held a baby to his chest in one arm and a sword in the other. There was a wardrobe carved out of a tree._

Much time had passed and Emma was still there reading the book. "...They didn't need words to express what they felt in their hearts, for it was here, in the shadow of the troll bridge, that their love was born, where they knew, no matter how they were separated, they would always-" John Doe reached out and grabbed her hand. Emma gasped and looked at him, but he laid perfectly still.

* * *

Emma walked into John Doe's room, this time with Dr. Whale.

"He grabbed my hand. I'm sure of it."

Dr. Whale checked the machine beside the bed. "Everything's steady. The same as it's always been. What were you doing in here?"

"What I told you I was going to do. Read him a story."

"Oh. Well perhaps you, um, dozed off. Perhaps you imagined it."

"No, I didn't imagine anything!" Emma snapped.

"Miss Swan, I can only tell you what I see, which is nothing. Sometimes there are minor fluctuations in readings. Perhaps you heard the machine register something and misunderstood?"

"I didn't hear some weird sounds. I felt and saw him grab my hand." For a moment Emma wondered if this was how Henry must feel all the time.

"Maybe it was a muscle spasm. Look, why don't you go home, get some rest. If anything changes, I'll call you, okay?"

"I know what happened." Emma picked the storybook off the chair and left.

Once she was gone Dr. Whale got out his phone and made a call.

Regina's voice rang out from the end of the line. "Yes?"

"It's Dr. Whale. You told me to call you if there was ever a change in a John Doe. Something's happened."

"What?"

"One of our volunteers said he grabbed her. And there was a slight fluctuation in brain activity."

"And who was this volunteer?"

"Emma Swan."

Regina just barely resisted the urge to throw her house phone against the wall.

* * *

Henry and Emma are sitting in the diner. Emma has just changed her shirt. She wished she had known she would be staying, she would have packed some extra clothes. As it was she couldn't exactly go home get some necessities and then come back, and it wasn't because of some curse even if she was starting to get a feeling that trying to leave again wouldn't work out well for her.

"Thanks for the shirt. Hey, is this your mother's?"

"She'll never notice."

"Where does she think you are, anyway?"

Henry smiled. "Playing Whack-A-Mole."

"And she bought that?"

"She wants to believe it, so she does. Speaking of belief, how'd it go?"

"He grabbed my hand." Emma put her hand up before Henry could speak. "But that doesn't mean anything. It could be a muscle spasm. Dr. Whale said that there was no change."

"He'll wake up. You'll see."

* * *

Emma and Henry had just arrived at the hospital. Dr. Whale was standing outside John Doe's room with Graham.

"I was right. He's waking up."

Graham walked towards them. "Henry, you should stay back."

"What's going on?" Emma asked. "Is John Doe okay?"

"He's missing."

The three looked at John Doe's room and saw Regina there. Regina approached them with her hands on her hips.

"What the hell are you doing here?" she demanded. Then she turned her attention to Henry. "And you – I thought you were at the arcade. Now you're lying to me?"

Emma ignored her. "What happened to John Doe? Did someone take him?"

"We don't know yet," Graham answered. "His IVs were ripped out but there's no sign for sure there's a struggle."

Henry glared at Regina. "What did you do?"

"You think I had something to do with this?" Regina demanded.

"It is curious that the mayor is here," Emma said. But she knew the idea was ridiculous. What was she accusing Regina of doing? Taking John Doe? Framing her for another crime would have been easier.

"I'm here because I'm his emergency contact," Regina said. If looks could kill, hers would have melted Emma. "I found him. On the side of the road years ago with no ID. I brought him here."

"Mayor Mills saved his life," Dr. Whale said. "And he will die if he's not brought back here right away. The man's been on feeding tubes for years on constant supervision."

"Well then," Emma said, "let's quit yapping and start looking"

"And just what do you think we were doing?" Regina asked. "Just stay out of this, dear. And since I clearly can't keep you away from my son, I guess I'm just going to have to keep my son away from you. Enjoy my shirt, because that's all you're getting. Sheriff, find John Doe. You heard Dr. Whale. Time is precious."

Regina put her hand on Henry's back and walked away with him.

"Doctor," Graham said, "how long between your rounds since you last saw him?"

"Twelve hours or so."

"Then that's what we need to account for." Emma followed after him when he left. Graham knew that he was supposed to stop her, civilians weren't supposed to follow him around when he questioned people but he knew that could need her help later. The town only had one sheriff and organising a search party would take time that John Doe might not have . Besides somehow Graham had the feeling that he could trust her.

He lead her to the security room. Walter, the hospital security guard, and Leroy, the hospital janitor are both there.

"You two were the only employees on the floor last night," Graham stated. "And you saw nothing."

"Not a thing," Walter confirmed.

"Did anyone walk by?"

"I didn't see nothin'," Leroy replied.

Graham turned his gaze towards Emma. "Miss Swan, was there anything unusual regarding John Doe?"

"He touched my hand," Emma said, feeling dazed. This whole thing felt unreal. "Dr. Whale said it was nothing." Emma looked at the screen behind Leroy. "We're looking at the wrong tape. This is the ward where Henry's class put up decorations. If this was really the tape from last night, we'd see the banners the kids hung."

"You fell asleep again."

"You selling me out?" Walter said.

"I ain't getting fired for this."

"At least I don't drink on the job."

Graham put his hands up. "Gentlemen, enough. Where's the real tape?" Leroy got up and switched the tape. The screen showed John Doe walking out a door.

Emma studied the time stamp. There was a sinking feeling pulling at her stomach, something that felt like more than concern about an unnamed man. It was as if losing him would be the lose of someone important to her. "Four hours ago. Where does this door lead?"

"The woods," Leroy answered.

* * *

 _"Anyway how could I have let Prince Charming die?" Snow White said._

Flashes of memories ran through John Doe's mind. His wife, their daughter. He had to find them.

* * *

Emma was walking behind Graham in the woods. Graham stopped suddenly.

Emma looked around. "What is it?"

"The trail runs out here."

"You sure? Because I thought tracking was one of your skills."

"Just give me a second. This is my world. I got it." _My world._ Something about that phrase felt oddly meaningful to him. Everything had felt different since he first talked with Emma in a way that he couldn't explain. But Graham didn't dwell on those thoughts for long as he studied his surroundings.

They heard a crack behind them. They turned around as Henry ran down a hill.

"Did you find him yet?"

"No," Emma said, "not shouldn't be here."

"I can help. I know where he's going. He's starting to remember if there's one place here that's the similar to his memories."

Emma bent down to eye level with Henry. "John Doe is very confused and very sick. We need to find him and make sure he's okay. When we find him I will let you know. Where's your mom?"

"She dropped me off at home. Then, went right out."

Emma would have thought that Regina would have kept a closer eye on him tonight. Where was she even going this time of night? Surely town meetings didn't run this late. "Well, we need to get you back immediately."

"No!"

"Guys!" Graham exclaimed. He had continued to explore the area while they were talking. He held up John Doe's bloody hospital bracelet.

Afterwards Graham had no trouble picking the trail back up. They stopped after he did, at the Toll Bridge. Some had graffiti-ed a R after the T on the sign so it read 'Troll Bridge.'

"The trail dies at the water line." Graham and Emma saw spot John Doe lying in the water. Graham put one arm out to hold Henry back and pulled his handheld transceiver with his other hand. Emma ran towards John Doe. "I need an ambulance! At the old Toll Bridge, as soon as possible." Graham ran over to help her drag John Doe out of the lake. Together they turned him over to his front.

"It's going to be okay," Emma said as she said as she opened his mouth and checked his airways. Could John Doe even hear her?

Vaguely she heard Graham say "Help's coming." Her head was spinning as she started chest compressions.

 **"** Is he okay?" Henry asked.

"Henry..." Emma said. If it was anyone else she didn't think she could get the words out. But even now she found it difficult to talk.

"Is he going to be okay?"

Graham went over to Henry. He knelt down in front of Henry. "Don't look. Just don't look.

 _Come back to me_ , Emma thought. She started to put her mouth on his in-between chest compressions. _Breathe. Breathe._ John Doe woke up and coughed water out of his mouth.

"You saved me," he said, dazed.

"She did it!" Henry exclaimed. "She saved him."

"Who are you?" Emma asked John Doe.

"I don't know."

 _Of course it wouldn't be that easy._ "It's okay. We're here to help."

* * *

John Doe was back in the hospital being treated by the medical staff. They watched him through the outside of a glass door.

"Watch your back," a nurse said as she rushed by. "Coming through!"

 **"** We got it from here," Dr. Whale assured the three of them. A woman ran past the three of them and into the room.

"David! David, is that you?"

"I thought he didn't have anyone," Emma said. She looked at Graham but if he recognised the woman he showed no signs of it. He looked as confused as she was.

"Excuse me, ma'am?" Dr. Whale asked.

She gave no sign that she had heard him. "Oh my god..."

"Ma'am, you can't be in here," Dr, Whale said. "Please, you can't be here right now."

"David..." The woman looked close to tears as Dr. Whale kept asking her to leave the room.

"Who is that?" Emma asked. She didn't notice Regina behind her until she spoke.

"Kathryn," Regina said. "His wife."

* * *

Kathryn was with David. Emma, Henry, and Regina were right outside of David's room. Graham had left to file the paperwork on this case.

Regina smiled smugly. "His name is David Nolan. And that's his wife, Kathryn. And the joy on her face, well, it's put me in quite the forgiving mood." She frowned and addressed Henry next. "We'll talk about your insubordination later. Do you know what insubordination means? It means you're grounded.

Kathryn left David's room. "Thank you. Thank you for finding my David."

"I don't understand," Emma said. "You didn't report David missing."

"A few years ago," Kathryn said, "David and I were not getting along. It was my fault, I know that now. I was difficult and unsupportive. I told him if he didn't like things, he could leave. And he did. And I didn't stop him. It was the worst mistake I ever made."

"You didn't go look for him?"

"All this time I had thought he had left town. And now I know why I never heard from him. Now I get to do what I've wanted to do forever – say I'm sorry. Now we get a second chance."

"That's amazing." It didn't feel real, it was like something that only happened in movies. Yet, why would she lie? But there had to have been some effort of finding David's next of kin. A newspaper article, asking the townsfolk, something. And this was a small town, how had no one else known David?

Dr. Whale joined them, smiling widely. "Well, it's something of a miracle."

"He's okay?" Kathryn and Emma asked. A knot unfurled itself from Emma's stomach.

Dr. Whale's face fell into a neutral expression and the feeling was back."Ah, physically, he's on the mend, um, his memory is another issue. It may take time, if at all."

"What brought him back?" Emma asked.

"That's the thing," Dr. Whale said. "There's no explanation. Something just clicked in him."

"He just got up and decided to go for a stroll?" Emma asked astounded. This whole situation was unreal. Things like this didn't just happen. The hospital must have made some sort of mistake about his condition. But then someone would have noticed when they had a few years to.

Dr. Whale's expression might as well have been a shrug. "He woke up and he was delirious and his first instinct was to go find something, I guess."

"Someone," Henry corrected him.

 _Really, kid?_ Emma thought. _You're still going on about that now?_

"Can I see him?" Kathryn asked.

"Yeah," Dr. Whale said, "of course."

Kathryn went back into David's room. Emma watched them for a few moments. The relief she felt at David being okay, left her feeling dizzy. She looked away when Regina said "Henry, let's go."

"Wait, my backpack." As he walked past Emma he whispered "Don't believe them. He was looking for your mother."

Emma gave an exhausted sigh. "Henry..."

"He was going to the Troll Bridge. It's like the end of the story."

"He was going there because it's the last thing I read to him."

"No, it's because he's Prince Charming. You'll see."

"Henry," Regina said. He grabbed his backpack and ran towards Regina. Emma followed after them. She caught up to them at the entrance to the hospital.

"Madam Mayor!" she called out.

"Wait by the car," she told Henry who pushed the door open and walked out without her.

Regina crossed her arms. "Miss Swan, I let you off the hook back there. Don't press it."

"I'm sorry, but Mrs. Nolan? Kind of feels like her story could be a load of crap. All this time, there's a John Doe lying around in a coma and nobody puts it in the news, nobody goes looking. Something's not right here."

"Well, what else would make sense to you? Why would Miss Nolan lie? Do you think I cast a spell on her?"

"I think it's rather strange you've been his emergency contact all these years and you only found her now," Emma said.

"Well, this town is bigger than you know. It's entirely possible to get lost here. It's entirely possible for bad things to happen."

 _The bad things just happen to be connected to you._ "And just when it's convenient you manage to solve the mystery?"

Regina put on the falsest smile that Emma had ever seen. "Thanks to you. That tape you found was a stroke of genius. So, we went back and looked at past tapes. Turns out Mr. Doe's been talking in his sleep. He's been calling out for a Kathryn. After that, it wasn't hard to put the pieces together. And here I thought you and my son would be pleased. True love won out. So bask in the moment, dear. Were it not for you, they would have lived their lives completely alone. That's why I'm willing to forgive your incessant rudeness. Because all this has reminded me of something oh-so very important. How grateful I am to have Henry. Because not having someone? Well, that's the worst curse imaginable."

"I've been reading to him. He doesn't talk in his sleep."

"Not every night." And with that she pushed the door open and left Emma standing there.

* * *

Lacey heard someone knocking on the library door. Who would be here so late? There was barely anyone here in the earlier hours? She opened the door and Emma standing before her, looking bone tired. "Emma?"

"Sorry to bother you so late. Is that spare room still available?" Lacey nodded and opened the door further. She motioned for Emma to come in and Emma did. "You don't actually live here do you?"

"No." Lacey pursed her lips. "Though I do have a room here just in case. If you'd rather stay there than my apartment..."

"What?" It took Emma longer than it usually would be realise that Lacey was joking. About her staying here at least, she wasn't sure if the spare room here part was a joke. Emma managed a weak smile. "No. The apartment's fine."

"I just thought you could use some tea."

"Or some hot chocolate."

"I don't have coco powder or milk but I'll remember it for next time. Any certain teas you like?"

"No. Anything is fine."

"Follow me then."

Emma followed Lacey into a small kitchen. She hesitated to call this place a staff room since there was no staff besides Lacey. There was a second here and Emma wondered if that lead to Lacey's room. Or maybe it was her office, or a supply closet.

"My spare room is upstairs," Lacey said as if reading her mind. "Don't worry, it's not behind the clock." She filled the kettle up with water and put it to boil on the stove. She opened the cupboard and got two mugs out and a two teabags out. "Do you like sugar in your tea?"

"I can get it."

Lacey put the mugs down. "It's fine. It's right here." She held up a sugar bowl.

Emma pulled out a chair and sat down at the table. It was a small table with enough room for two. That made sense with how little staff there was here. Emma wondered if Lacey had ever had another person here.

"I feel like I should be doing something to help."

Lacey set the sugar bowl in the middle of the table. "It's just tea." Emma nodded. Lacey pulled out a chair and sat down. "I've been thinking that you should come work here. Not as a librarian, I'm assuming that you don't have the education or experience." Lacey put a hand over her mouth. Emma was about to ask what's wrong when she continued. "Of course that's not saying anything about you. You're really smart and clever and from librarian to finding people would be an unusual career change but who am I to judge?"

"Lacey, it's fine. I've never even been that big of a reader."

"I was thinking you could be a cleaner. This girl Ashley cleans here sometimes but I'm sure that she won't mind the company. It's not like you're taking her job after all."

"Thanks but I'm not sure if that's really for me. Besides I don't want to rush to put down roots. I still have a life back in Boston."

"Oh," Lacey said. "Right. I shouldn't have assumed."

"Really I'm grateful that you offered. I've only known you for a little while and you're the best friend I've ever had."

Lacey blushed at the unexpected compliment. Then the kettle made a whistling noise. Lacey got up and dropped the teabags into the cups. Then she took the kettle off the stove and filled both cups. She opened a drawer and got two spoons out. Emma watched her entire process in an effort to try not to concentrate on her day. Lacey put the spoons down near the sugar bowl before bringing the tea over.

Emma caught a whiff of the steam coming from her cup. Chamomile. _Fitting._

"Sorry." Emma lifted her eyebrows at that and she was sure that her eyes were bugging out like a cartoon character. After all she had offered her, Lacey was sorry? "I don't mean to pry but what happened to you today? When I opened the door you didn't look like yourself."

Emma took a deep breathe before telling Lacey everything.

* * *

I realise the logistics of where Lacey's room is isn't clear but the clock tower in the show has two stories not counting the clock from what I can tell.


	4. The Price of Gold

paulaa90: you're right but I don't want to spoil what you're right about. The curse weakened when she took the key and it'll continue to weaken. I hadn't thought of doing Graham and Belle as a couple. It's interesting but I don't think I'm going in that direction for them.

ArianaKristine: yeah, no one commented so I put this story on the back burner while working on more popular works and doing prompts. Chapters are probably going to continue to vary in length as I'm working out how much to rewrite and what to add on an episode by episode basis.

You're welcome! You have some great work.

Oh, I'm not arguing that she didn't have a hand in the curse personalities. Just that Maleficent could have been something Rumple wrote into the curse, like his memories coming back when he hears Emma's name. I agree with you though, it does make sense given how Regina treats people. Actually it makes more sense than that being Rumple. He wanted that egg Maleficent was guarding. I had forgotten about that.

Thanks. I think I made Lacey more nervous than Mary Margaret. I was trying to make her like Mary Margaret but a bit different and I didn't realise I wrote her in a way that reflected Snow. I hadn't realised that they had more development without Snow. I have a soft spot for those relationships too. I'm glad you liked Emma's more active part in regards to David, I've had her waking David planned from the start.

barrata. jennifer: thanks! That means a lot to me. I was afraid that it might be too long compared to the other chapters.

pinkcrazyness: thanks for the alert.

* * *

Emma was sitting on a stool at the counter when Lacey got home. "I heard about what you did," Lacey said, closing the door behind herself.

Emma blinked. "Right. Small town."

Lacy made sure the door was locked before going over the counter. "I didn't know Mr. Gold even liked babies. I didn't think he was the nurturing type but then I don't think anyone around here really knows him that well."

"I'm not sure that he is." Something seemed off about the whole thing. What had Mr. Gold wanted with Ashley's baby? Emma didn't believe that he was helping Ashley out of the goodness of his heart. He hadn't cared when Ashley changed her mind. "Anyway I wanted to tell you that I'm the new deputy."

"That's great! You're just what this town needs."

Emma smiled. "I don't think this town really needs a deputy."

"Maybe you'll be surprised. You've helped so much already."

"I hope so." Emma looked away, embarrassed by the unexpected praise. "Uh, was work good?"

"Yeah. Oh! I wonder if Ashley is going to file for maternity leave. Should I find the paperwork she has to file? Maybe I should think of a present while I'm at it."

It took Emma a moment to remember that Lacey said Ashley cleaned the library sometimes. It hadn't occurred to Emma that it was the same Ashley. What had Sean's dad been on about Ashley not showing responsibility? She had two jobs and cleaning the library didn't look easy.

"Well don't go rushing back to the library. I'm sure it can wait until morning."

Lacey looked like she might burst with nervous energy. "Right. I'm going to bed."

"Good night."

* * *

I considered rewriting the start of this episode to have a bit of Rumple acting awkward around Lacey now that he remembers Belle but I don't think that changes enough to be worth it.


	5. That Still Small Voice

paulaa90: thanks!

barrata. jennifer: thanks!

1994\. 2012. clm: thanks for the alert.

Lynzelle: thanks for the alert.

For some reason I could get my homework started or this chapter finished. I kept planning to and next thing I know it's the next day.

* * *

Emma was at Storybrooke General Hospital playing hangman with David Nolan, which currently reads E_ _ A _ _ A _ . She was glad that Graham had been understanding about her not starting work right away. She felt that she needed to be there for David, she reasoned that it was because she was the one who saved him.

"I don't know. "M"?"

"Two of them." David wrote a letter "m" on the first and second spaces. "Get it yet?"

"Yes and I feel like an idiot. You almost beat me with my name."

"Don't worry, I would never have let you hang. I would've added toes and a hat. Maybe a horse."

"Was this a game you played a lot before?"

"I don't know."

"It'll come back. They're sending you home in a week. They wouldn't do that if they didn't think you were progressing."

"Physically."

"Well, you're making new memories just fine."

"Somehow that's easier."

"I'm sure you'll get the hang of it.." She sounded a lot more sure than she felt. She had heard of people waking from comas after years but she had never thought she would meet someone who did it.

"Can I guess, too?" Emma looked up and saw Kathryn Nolan carrying a box in her hands.

"Maybe some other time, I don't want to intrude," Emma said. She checked the clock on the wall. "I didn't realise it was noon already."

"Good day Miss Swan." As she got ready to leave Emma couldn't help but over hearing what they were saying. "Honey, I brought more pictures. Maybe they'll jog something." She could feel David's eyes on her. It was odd how sometimes Emma felt like they had known each other or should have known each other. "It's our old dog, Ajax. Remember?"

"Yeah," David said, "yeah. Ajax."

* * *

When she was outside Emma got a call from Graham. She answered her phone immediately.

"I'm right outside the hospital," Emma said. "Do you need me to come down to the station?"

"No. It's fine. I just have to keep you apprised of a development that happened earlier today. The old mine has started to collapse. The area has been cordoned off already but I thought you should be kept aware of the situation."

"You should have called me earlier."

"It would have taken you time to get there. I had to cordon the area off right away. No one tried to get in the place, it was fine. You can be there for the next emergency."

Emma scoffed. "There's going to a bunch of those, is there?"

"There is something else. Henry was there. Regina is planning to rehabilitate it for city use and he thinks she's trying to cover something up."

"Like what?"

"I don't know. I'm worried about him."

Emma sighed. "Yeah, me too."

* * *

At their loft Emma and Lacey were making s'mores.

"I think David is making some improvement." She hadn't meant to eavesdrop earlier, but she wasn't completely sorry about it.

"That's great!" Lacey said brightly. Then she looked thoughtful. "I can't imagine what he must be going through. His whole life a mystery to him."

Emma nodded.

There was a knock at the door. "I'll get it," Emma said. Upon opening the door, she saw Henry, sobbing. "Kid, what happened? Come in."

* * *

Emma had confronted Archie about crushing Henry's beliefs. After a phone call from Regina asking her where Henry was, Archie had realised that Henry was at the mines so him, Emma and Pongo had gone to look for Henry. Archie found Henry with Pongo's help and went in after Henry but then the ground had shook, trapping Archie along with Henry.

Now outside of the entrance of the mine, Pongo barked. Regina, Emma, Graham, Marco, David and Ruby gathered around as workers tried to open the entrance.

"Archie is smart," Marco said. "He'll keep the boy safe until we get to that." The ground shook beneath them. "Watch out!"

David grabbed Emma's arm instinctively.

Regina ran towards Emma. "Stop! Stop! You're making it worse."

To Emma's surprise David stood in front of her. "Emma is just doing her job."

 _Making things worse? I'm not effecting the earthquake._ "I am trying to save him. He went in the first place because you made him feel like he had something to prove!"

"And why does he think he has anything to prove? Who's encouraging him?"

"Do not put this on me."

"Oh please, lecture me until the oxygen has run out." She turned and walked away.

Emma walked after her, pushing past David who followed after Emma, though he did let her arm fall from his grasp. "We have to stop this arguing. We won't accomplish anything."

"No, we won't."

"What do you want me to do?"

"Help me."

Emma nodded.

"I'd help in anyway I could," David offered.

"I appreciate the support Mr Nolan," Emma said, "but this isn't something you're qualified to help with."

Ignoring him Regina continued talking. "We need to find someway to punch through the ground. We need something big."

"Like what?" Emma asked.

"Explosives," Marco said.

* * *

"Blow it," Regina said. Everyone rushed to find cover.

Outside at the entrance to the mines, a worker pressed a button causing an explosion. Inside the mines, Henry and Archie were in an elevator. The elevator shook and Archie held on tight to Henry. With a creak the elevator dropped a bit.

Emma ran into the smoke caused by the explosion. When the smoke cleared she came back over to the others.

"Did it work?" Regina asked.

"Can you see them?" David asked.

"It didn't open," Emma said.

"Then what did it do?" Graham asked.

"Made more rocks fall."

"What was that?" Regina demanded, advancing on Emma. "What the hell was that? You said you could do this."

"Madame Mayor," Emma said gently.

"They could have killed my son."

 _He's my son too._ "I know. But this isn't helping."

If we knew exactly where they were, we could drill down to them," Marco suggested.

Pongo's barking caught Emma's attention and she ran towards the fire truck he is in.

"Maybe," Marco said, "maybe make something to bring them back up."

"A driller," Graham said.

Regina raised an eyebrow. "What do you think we..."

Emma opened the fire truck's door and let Pongo out. "Come on buddy." To Regina, Graham and Marco she said "It's Archie's dog."

Pongo sniffed the ground and stopped at a metal covering.

"He's found something," Emma said. "Look, this is where they must be. What is it?"

Graham and Marco came over and removed the metal covering which revealed a hole blocked by grate bars.

"What is that?" Emma asked.

"It's an air shaft," Graham answered.

The workers went over to the air shaft and removed the metal grate.

"Alright," Emma said, "we got it."  
Emma, Regina, and Graham looked down into the deep shaft.

"So, what's next?" Regina asked.

"We need to lower someone straight down," Marco said, "or the line would collapse with the sides of the shaft."

"I've got the harness," Graham said.

"Lower me down," Regina said.

"I can go," Graham said.

"I'm less broad shouldered than you," Emma said. "I have a better chance of fitting. I'll go."

"He's my son," Regina said.

"He's my son too," Emma said. "You've been sitting behind your desk for ten years. I can do this."

"Just bring him to me."

That was the last thing Emma wanted to do but she wasn't going to argue the point at the moment.

* * *

Noises erupted from the top.

"What's that?" Henry asked.

"It's a rescue," Archie said.

Emma appeared as she was being lowered down from the top.

"You guys okay?"

"Yeah, we're both okay," Archie said.

"Hang on, Henry." She got out her walkie-talkie and spoke into it. "Okay, let's get a stop."

Emma removed the roof of the elevator and grabbed Henry, who was held up by Archie.

"Come on, I got you. Okay." To Archie she said, "I got him."

"You get him to safe..." The elevator rumbled. Little bits of rocks fell around them. _  
_

"Archie!"

"It's gonna fall!"

"I'm sorry."

"It's okay."

Emma and Henry both called out "Archie!"

The elevator fell with a loud crash. But Archie had hooked his umbrella onto a carabiner on Emma's trousers and held on. Emma laughed with relief and Henry held up a thumbs-up signal

* * *

The crowd all clapped their hands as Marco and other workers pull out Emma, Henry and Archie. David looked on, feeling dizzy with relief.

Regina hugged and pulled Henry away while Graham stopped Emma from following. Archie and Marco hugged each other.

Emma pushed past Graham and went over to Henry. "Are you okay, Henry?"

Regina shoved Emma away. "Deputy, you can clear the crowd away."

Emma watched Henry being pulled away.

* * *

Outside the mine, the workers and the crowd chatted and drunk to celebrate as Regina took out the piece of glass she picked up earlier that day and threw it down the air shaft. The piece of glass kept falling until it hit the ground near a glass coffin.

Regina thought that it was lucky that Henry hadn't found the coffin. Soon the mine would be paved over and she wouldn't have to worry about anyone finding it.


	6. The Shepherd

Paulaa90: oh, wow. I didn't think of that. It was at the end of the episode in canon and I decided to leave it in. Maybe I should change Snow's part to that if I ever get that far. I think I'm going to get stuck on the next episode.

MorningSun: thanks! I hadn't realised that I had everyone more active. I had change a lot to make up for the missing Mary Margaret and David scenes, especially with the current chapter. It's interesting how so many people in Storybrooke ended up worse off than Snow. This chapter covers the episode where David found the windmill so you'll find out soon.

baratta. jennifer: thanks!

* * *

Kathryn and David were hosting a party at their house, to help David meet everyone in town and hopefully resurface some memories.

Henry and Emma watched David. "You know why he doesn't remember? The curse isn't working on him yet."

"Henry, David has amnesia."

"Which is preventing the curse from replacing his fairy tale story with fake memories."

"Right, because everyone here has fake stories that prevent them from remembering who they really are." She had hoped that Henry wouldn't bring this up tonight. David was under enough stress already without Henry's curse theory.

"Right, and now is our chance to help him. We just have to get him to remember that he's—"

"He's Prince Charming."

"We just have to jog his memory by keeping you and him together. He nearly died saving you. He's your father. You're his best chance at remembering."

"I've already spent plenty of time with him."

"And it woke him up."

David came over before Emma came up with a counter argument. "Hey. You're the ones who saved me, right?"

"Yeah, I guess."

"And, uh, you're also the only one's I know here."

"You can hide with us," Emma said.

"Fantastic." He accepted some food from a tray, stabbing it with a toothpick and twirling it. "Thank you."

"So, you ever use a sword?" Henry asked.

David laughed. "No. Sorry to disappoint." He looked at Emma and said "You live with uh... Lacey, right? Is she here too?"

"She's around here somewhere."

As if she could tell she was being talked about Lacey came over, carrying a plate of food and a cup of punch. "Hi, David. Lovely party."

"I'm glad you're having a good time," David said.

Meanwhile Regina was in the kitchen talking with Kathryn. Eventually she convinced Kathryn to leave the kitchen and find David.

"Do you guys mind if I borrow David?"

"Not at all," Emma said. Her, Henry and Lacey watched David and Kathryn walk off.

Emma looked around at the party guests. She didn't know why she was encouraging him. But still she asked, what she had been wondering for a while. "Did you figure out who Snow White is?"

Henry scrunched up his face in concentration. "No. I was hoping that I'd finally see her tonight but she doesn't seem to be here. I think Regina's hiding her somehow or maybe Snow White wasn't brought over by the curse. Perhaps staying behind without her husband or baby was supposed to be Snow's punishment."

* * *

Kathryn lead David to the bedroom. They sat down on the bed.

"I was just wondering how you've been holding up," Kathryn said. "We haven't really talked much tonight."

David looked down at his feet. "The party is nice. Did we have a lot of parties?"

"Neither of us had friends. That's changing now."

David nodded. "Regina seems nice. I'm happy for you."

"Thank you."

David's thoughts went back to Emma and Henry. Somehow talking to the two of them had been a moment he had felt more grounded. Every time he wasn't around Emma felt more uncertain, like he was in a dream and needed to wake up.

"Do you remember anything else?" Kathryn asked. At his blank stare she added, "Aside from Ajax."

"Not yet. Dr Whale is confident that my memories could come back at any time." Saying those words just felt redundant. She knew what Dr Whale said just as well as he did, and they both knew that David may never remember. Maybe he shouldn't have lied to her. Was he just giving her false hope by pretending to remember Ajax? He wished that he knew what to say and what not to say. "Maybe we should go back to the party." He hoped that Emma hadn't gone home yet.

"Sure. If that's what you want."

David stood up and offered Kathryn his hand. "Sure it is."

She didn't need his help to get up but took his hand anyway. _Why doesn't this feel right?_ David thought.

* * *

At Storybrooke Sheriff Department Emma sat her desk and read through a file.

Sheriff Graham entered and held out a box of donuts. He opened the box. "Sometimes the cliches are true."

 _He looks cute. Standing there with donuts and that sorry look._ Emma closed the file and set it down. "Okay. What do you want?"

"Remember when I said no night shifts? I need you to work tonight. Just this once."

"Why?"

"I volunteered at an animal shelter, and the supervisor is sick, and someone needs to feed the dogs."

"Very lucky you brought a bear claw." She took the bear claw from the box and took a bit.

David walked in. He looked around uncertainly. "Emma, can I talk to you for a minute?"

"I'll just go patrol my office," Graham said. He closed the box and set it down on the desk before going to his office.

"Thanks," Emma called after him. Emma turned her attention to David, bear claw lay forgotten on her desk. "Are you okay?"

"No." He rubbed his head. "This is something that people usually go to Dr Hopper for but I don't know him, I know you."

"Do you want to take a seat?"

"I don't love Kathryn and I'm afraid that I'll never remember loving her. I don't remember anything about my past."

"What about Ajax? I overheard you and Kathryn, sorry about that."

"It's fine, don't worry about it." David waved the comment away with his hand. "I lied to save her feelings."

"Leaving her is going to hurt her much more than that could have."

David gave her a wide eyed stare. "How did you know I was planning that?"

"I know how to read people." Emma stood up to meet David's eyes. "Do you really want to know what I think?"

"Of course I do."

"I don't know if you'll regain your memories but I know that Kathryn loves you and is willing to help you every step of the way."

"She deserves someone who loves her back."

"There's never a guarantee of a happy ending in this world and if you're going to leave her, you better be sure that that's what you want to do. You have been given a second chance and you might not get a third."

David looked thoughtful. "Thanks, Emma. You've given me a lot to think about."

Emma smiled. "Anytime." She just wished that she could shake off the feeling that she was missing a piece of the story.

* * *

Lacey was sitting at a booth in Granny's with a cup of coffee cooling beside her as she read a book. Dr Whale came in and sat beside her.

"I'm a hell of a doctor, huh?" he said. "No way he wakes up on someone else's watch."

"Hello Dr Whale," Lacey said, making sure to keep her tone polite. She stuck a bookmark in and closed her book, getting the feeling that this conversation might last a while.

"So I heard that you resigned from the hospital. I hope it wasn't because of me..."

"No. It's just that I open the library after I'm done teaching and in hindsight I don't think I should volunteer on top of that." Barely anyone went to her library but she didn't want to give up hope. Lacey blinked. "Why do you think that you made me leave?"

"Well, our date. I never called you after. Yeah, I know, I know. It's not classy, and I'm sorry, but if you could find a way to get over it, you know where to find me. Have a good day." Dr Whale got up and left as Mr Gold came in.

Mr Gold locked eyes with her. The moment stretched on for what felt like forever.

"Hello Mr Gold," Lacey greeted.

He looked away and went to the counter, to order a coffee to go. Lacey watched him as he waited for his coffee, wondering what was up with him lately. He had been the friendliest of people but being asked for the rent and encountering him on the street was so awkward now. She longed to find out what was going on but found that she couldn't work up the nerve to ask him.

* * *

 _She would come back to Rumpelstiltskin one day, she had promised herself. She didn't know why he wouldn't believe she loved him but she knew that the dark curse over him had started to break._

 _Belle had dreamed of adventure her whole life and she couldn't go back home now. Even if Gaston would take her back, she didn't want him. If she went back she might never have a chance of adventuring again, she would just be stuck wasting her life away inside the castle._

 _Belle walked down the path from the Dark Castle. She looked back for a moment, hoping that he would change his mind and let her back in. But of course the doors remained close._

 _At least he had given her some gold to help her on her way. She could work odd jobs when money started to wear thin, somehow even the thought of that felt exciting. She had never had a job, aside from cleaning the Dark Castle._

 _"Come on," Belle whispered as she stared at the door. She took a breath and turned around. She couldn't say how but she knew that someday she'd her way into his heart again._

* * *

 _Blood ran down from Abigail's lips. She had tried and tried but Frederick was still a gold statue. She cried, knowing that she could not help her true love._

 _Abigail had kissed him for ages. She had kissed him till the gold made her lips bleed. It made no difference. She knew that it never would._

* * *

Emma was driving the police cruiser down the street at night when she saw someone climbing out the window of Regina's house. She pulled over and got out of the car, striking the figure in the stomach as they walked by. In the faint light of the street, Emma saw that the figure was Graham. He lay on the ground, clutching his stomach.

"This is volunteering?" Emma demanded. Any relief she might have felt about knowing there was no danger was replaced by anger. She had trusted Graham and he had lied to her. And for what? A night with Regina?

"Plans changed," Graham said, starting to get up. "Regina needed me to-"

"Sleep with her?"

"No."

"Why were you sneaking out the window?"

"Because she didn't want Henry to know."

"You did this with Henry in the house?" _How could he think that was okay? Why didn't Regina at least have Henry stay at a babysitter's? What would the kid have thought if he saw Graham climbing out the window?_

"He's sleeping. He doesn't know."

Emma threw her hands up. "Oh my god. I wish I was Henry right now. This is disgusting."

"I really do work at an animal shelter."

"You can finish my shift. I'm done working nights." She tossed the police cruiser keys to him and walked away. _God, I need a drink._

* * *

Lacey found Emma at Granny's sitting on a stool drinking.

"Rough night?"

"Yeah."

Lacey took the seat next to hers. "I thought you were patrolling tonight."

"Uh, something came up."

Ruby entered from the back room. "Can I get you anything?"

"An ice tea," Lacey said.

"What about you?" she asked Emma. "Another drink?"

Emma looked down at the glasses before her. "Just the check."

"Okay," Ruby said. She walked away.

"I don't suppose you want to tell me why you've been drinking away your troubles."

Emma looked to see that Ruby was really gone. She lowered her voice. "Graham and Regina." There was David wanting to run out on his wife as well but she couldn't tell Lacey about that. David had trusted her and she wasn't going to go babbling his secrets around town.

"What? Why are we whispering?"

"I caught him sneaking out of Regina's window and found out they're sleeping together. He told me that he was volunteering at the animal shelter tonight."

Lacey gasped. "Sheriff Graham always seemed like such an honourable man."

 _That's an old fashioned way to put it._ "I would have thought so too." Emma snorted.

Ruby came back with Lacey's ice tea and Emma's check. Emma gave Ruby the money. Ruby took the money and went back to the cash register.

"Maybe we weren't wrong. He has a good heart, I can tell. Though I can't think of an excuse for this."

"Don't try to make excuses for him."

Ruby came back with Emma's change. She set the change on the table and Emma pocketed it. Ruby smiled. "Make excuses for who?"

"Err, no one. I'm going to go clear my head." Emma slide off her stool and started towards the door. Lacey followed after her. Emma held a hand out. "I'll be fine. You haven't even touched your drink."

Lacey sat back down. "You have my number. Don't hesitate to call me if you get in trouble."

Emma smiled. She didn't think petite nervous Lacey was going to fit someone for her, nor did Lacey have a car. But it still sweet. It had been a while since Emma had a friend. "I won't I promise. I'll see you back home."

Lacey smiled back. "Alright."

 _Home. It's been a while since I had that_ , Emma thought as she walked out the door. The cool night air hit her face.


	7. The Heart is a Lonely Hunter

paulaa90: you'll have to wait a bit longer to find out as it would have been difficult to include David here. Gold will acknowledge Lacey eventually.

Baratta: thanks!

MerlockVonBaron: thanks for the fave and alert.

RleFay: thanks for the fave and alert.

jesusdoeshisnails: thanks for the alert.

* * *

At Granny's Diner Graham threw two darts at once and hit the deer that was at the centre of the dart board both times. Ruby was waiting tables while Sidney sat in one of the booths.

"Nice shot, chief," said Sidney. He was the town's reporter. There wasn't much news to report on in Storybrooke but Sidney never failed to be there when there was. "I betcha 20 bucks you can't do it again."

Graham threw a dart and hit the deer again. Graham said to Ruby "Next round's on him."

"Emma, what can I get you?" Ruby asked when Emma came in.

Emma side-eyed Graham. "Nothing." Emma walked past Graham, towards the diner's exit. Graham threw a dart which landed right next to Emma's head and stuck to the wall. _Granny's going to be pissed if that leaves a mark_ , Graham thought. Emma turned around. "What the hell? You could have hit me."

"I never miss. You've been avoiding me..." Graham hesitated, not sure how to put it, "since last night when you saw me ..." He realised that he shouldn't talk about this here not in front of Sidney and anyone else who may be interested in the rare bits of small town gossip.

"Leaving the mayor's? And, yes, that is a euphemism. I'm not avoiding you, Graham." That was a lie and she knew it. She had been avoiding him as much as she could since there's just the two of them at the sheriff's station. Still she had found filling to do and had managed to change the subject every time Graham had tried to bring up last night. "I just have no interest in having this conversation. It's your life, and I really don't care."

Emma left the diner and walked down the street. Graham followed after her. She was power walking, Graham was running to keep up.

"If you don't care, then why are you so upset?"

"I'm not upset!"

Graham ran in front of her, blocking her way. "If that were true, you'd be at the bar with me having a drink and not running away."

"It's none of my business really." Emma walked past him.

Graham continued to follow her. He needed to talk to her. He needed her to understand and to understand soon, though he wasn't still wasn't sure why. "Can we please talk about this? I need you to understand." He grabbed her arm to stop her and dropped her arm as he stood in front of her again.

"Why?"

"I don't know. Uh, maybe so I can understand." _What I'm even trying to understand is the_ _question_ , Graham thought. _I wish I knew. I wish that I could explain it to both of us._ He just knew that everything was different somehow, off kilter like he had just woken up from a strange dream and hadn't gotten his bearings yet.

"You need analysis, go talk to Archie."

"I wanna talk to you." Somehow Graham

"Well, your bad judgement is your problem, not mine." Emma walked away again and Graham followed after her.

"You don't know what it's like with her. I don't feel anything." Graham jumped in front of her but she kept walking. "Can you understand that?" He couldn't recall when he even started seeing Regina. It was as if they had always been together with no beginning. But that wasn't how relationships or even hook ups worked was it? One of them must have asked the other one to bed first.

"A bad relationship? Yeah. I understand a bad relationship." God knows that she had her share of past dead end relationships. "I just don't wanna talk about yours." She was ahead of him again. Graham wondered how he was having so much trouble keeping up.

Graham touched her shoulder as he said "Look, I know you and Regina have your own issues," he let go of her as he walked in front of her, "and I should've told you about that before you took the job." _Would you have even taken the job if you had known?_

Emma had stopped walking now. "Yeah, why the secrecy? We're all adults. You can do whatever you want."

"'Cause I-I didn't want you to look at me the way you are now."

"Why do you care how I look at you?"

"Because..." At a lose for words, Graham pulled her into a kiss. The world had went away, all he could see where the images that flashed before his eyes.

 _Blurred impressions of a forest. As the scene became clear a wolf with eyes of different colours - one red, the other one black, appeared briefly._

Emma pulled away. "What the hell was that?"

"Did you see that?"

"How much have you been drinking? That was way over the line."

"I'm sorry. I just-" _What was I thinking?_

"What? You what?"

"I need to feel something."

"Listen to me, Graham. You are drunk and full of regret. I get it. But whatever it is you are looking to feel, I can tell you one 're not getting it with me." Emma crossed the street leaving Graham alone with his thoughts.

* * *

Graham knocked on the door to Regina's house. Regina opened the door, looking surprised.

"Graham."

"Is Henry asleep?"

"Yes. Why?" Graham entered the house and kissed her passionately.

* * *

Graham bolted upright in bed. He was soaked with sweat and breathing heavily. He knew that he was in Regina's room, in her bed but for a few minutes he hadn't been. He had been back in the forest.

Regina sat up. "What is it?"

"I had a most intense dream. I was in the woods hunting and I killed a deer. There was a wolf."

"A wolf?"

"Its eyes. One was blood-red and the other one was black as night. The funny thing is, I think I've seen the wolf before." _I know that wolf. But how could I possibly know that wolf?_

"Come back to sleep, Graham. It was only a dream."

"It didn't feel like a dream. It felt like a memory." _A memory of what though? Why am I remembering now?_ He stood up and put on his clothes.

"Graham?"

"I need some air. I need to think."

"Graham, please. Come back to bed."

"I left my car anyway. I need to go and get it. Clear my head." He sat down at Regina's bed and put on his boots.

"Graham. Listen. It's late. You're tired, probably still drunk. Don't leave."

Graham looked back at her. "Since when do you want me to stay anyway?" Even before Henry she had always wanted him gone before morning.

"You're not well."

"I'm fine." Graham walked out of her room. He was careful not to make much noise as he walked down the stairs. The last thing he needed now was to wake Henry on top of everything else.

When he got to the street Graham got out his car keys and dropped them. As he reached for his keys, the wolf approached him. Graham backed away a little, hoping that the wolf wouldn't be scared off. The wolf looked at him and then trudged away. He didn't how he knew but Graham knew that he had to find that wolf again.

* * *

Emma came down the stairs and saw a bouquet of flowers on the counter. "Really?" She walked over to the counter and threw the flowers into a garbage bin.

"Oh. Hey. Wait, what are you doing?"

"If Graham thinks flowers will work on me -"

"No, those were mine."

"Oh. From who? I didn't know you were even seeing someone."

"Dr. Whale."

Emma wrinkled her nose. "Whale? Are you serious? I know the guy's a doctor but he's full of himself."

Lacey looked down, her cheeks red. "He's not that bad. We got talking and he apologised for ignoring me on our date and one thing lead to another."

"I didn't know that Whale was your bad date."

"It was just one-night-stand this time anyway."

"Not according to those flowers."

Lacey wrung her hands, still avoiding Emma's gaze. "Yeah, maybe I shouldn't have called him."

"Oh my God. You called him? That's definitely not a one-night stand."

"O-Okay, I'm still learning. I- I never had one before. I felt guilty."

"Why? There's nothing wrong with what you did. Trust me. One night is as far as I ever go."

"I'm not like you. You're-"

"I'm what?"

"Never mind."

"No. Tell me."

"You're just protecting yourself. You have your walls up."

Emma snorted. "Just because I don't get emotional with a man."

Lacey figured that it was her turn to look incredulous. She surprised Emma by giggling. "You don't get emotional with a man?" She pointed to the trash can. "The floral abuse tells a different story."

"What story is that?"

"The one that's obvious to everyone - except apparently you. That you have feelings for Graham and he has feelings for you."

"Oh, come on!"

"You go around keeping your heart locked up and I know you've been through a lot but letting someone through isn't always a bad thing."

"I don't keep my heart locked up."

Lacey picked the flowers out of the garbage bin. She put them into a vase. "Really?" she asked as she rearranged some of the flowers.

"There's nothing wrong with being cautious."

"Oh, true. True. But while you may keep out pain, you might also be keeping out love." She took the vase and left.

* * *

Graham was running through the woods, searching for the wolf. He heard the howl of a wolf off in the distance. He had been so close to him moments ago? Where had the wolf gone? Then there was the sound of a shovel digging. Mr. Gold appeared from the woods, carrying a shovel and wearing gardening gloves, an apron and boots.

"Good morning, Sheriff. Sorry if I startled you."

"Right. Sorry, I, I thought you were a wolf."

Mr Gold chuckled. "Did I forget to shave?"

"What are you doing out here so early?"

"A sport of gardening. Yourself?"

"I was looking for..." _What can I say that won't make me sound crazy?_

"A wolf. Yeah, I think I've been able to catch on. You know, to the best of my knowledge there are no wolves in Storybrooke. Not the literal kind anyway. Why are you looking?"

"You'll think I'm crazy.

"Try me."

"I saw one in my dreams and then I saw one for real. Just a few hours ago. Did you- Did you see anything unusual right there?"

Mr. Gold looked closely at his shovel. "I'm afraid not. I do wish I could be more helpful." He walked past Graham. "You know, Sheriff, they say that dreams," he paused and turned around to face him, "dreams are memories," he paused again, "memories of another life."

"W- What do you believe?"

"I never rule out anything. Good luck, Sheriff. I do hope you'll find what you're looking for."

* * *

Gold had been burying his dagger when he heard someone come by. He came out and saw Graham. He couldn't let Graham know the truth just yet but he gave him a hint. Gold hoped that Graham would figure it out.

 _A wolf. Curious. I knew that the curse would stop Emma from leaving. Now it's guiding Graham as well. I wonder if he'll find what he's looking for._

* * *

Graham was still searching for the wolf in the woods. He heard howling in the distance. He walked towards the sound and found the wolf in a clearing.

"What do you want?" The wolf started to walk away. He didn't know what he had been expecting but he needed answers. "Hey!" Graham whistled and the wolf stopped. It turned around and approached him. Tentatively Graham ran his hand through the wolf's fur, he felt sure that he had done this before.

A series of images flashed before his eyes. _There was a forest but the image is blurry._ _Graham saw himself raise a knife. There was a woman with rosy cheeks, black hair, pale skin and eyes wide with fear below him. There was a wolf_ _accompanying him and the wolf howled._

 _A vault of drawers. He knew the room._

 _There was a tower. There was a small brown haired woman in a room with a barred window. Her hair was dirty and she was dressed in rags but her eyes burned with fire._

The wolf was gone when the visions stopped. Graham looked around and then headed back to town.

* * *

The school bell rung and the kids filled out of Miss French's classroom. Graham pushed past them to enter the classroom.

"Lacey, can I talk to you?"

"Graham, what's the matter? Are you okay?"

"I think we- I think we know each other."

"Of course we do."

"No, no, no. Not from here. Not from Storybrooke."

"From where then?"

"Another life." Sheriff Graham took a seat and so did she. "Lacey, how long have we known each other?"

"I don't know. A while."

"Do you remember when we met?"

Lacey took a moment to consider that. "No."

"Me neither. I can't remember when I met you or when I met anyone. Isn't that odd?"

"I don't know. I- I suppose. I think that's just life. Things get hazy."

"Have I ever hurt you?"

"Oh Graham, no. Of course not."

"Have you ever known me to hurt anyone?"

"No. What's going on?"

"Do you believe in other lives?"

Lacey raised an eyebrow. "Like past lives? I've read about things like that but I don't think there's really much evidence for it."

"I think we knew each other in mine. I saw you in these visions."

"Visions?"

"There was this tower and you were in a room dressed in rags. Before that I was standing over this woman and I was going to kill her. I've never seen her before. She had skin as white as snow and black hair."

Lacey's expression cleared like she understood something. Graham hoped that she would share because he didn't understand anything and he wasn't sure that he ever would. "You've been talking to Henry."

"Henry?"

"It seems like you were describing Snow White. I gave him a book of fairy tales and since then he has been going on about how he thinks we are all characters from the book. We're from another land and we've forgotten who we were." Lacey took Graham's hand. "It makes no sense of course. Past lives are one thing but being a fairy tale character?"

Graham startled at her touch. The images were still fresh in his mind and he supposed it was making him more high strung. "Right. No, of course." The images were real. He knew it somehow even though he knew it made no sense.

Lacey moved her hand to Graham's forehead. "Graham, you're burning up. Go home and get some rest. I think you'll feel much better after you've had some sleep."

"Right, you're absolutely right. I'm sorry I've disturbed you. Thank you."

"Of course."

* * *

Emma was at the station. She placed a file on Graham's desk and picked up a dart. She threw it, aiming at the dart board but missed it. _Graham makes this look so easy_ , she thought. She went to pick up the dart she had thrown when Regina walked in.

"Our taxes always hard at work, I see."

Emma looked at her. "Graham isn't here. I assumed he took a sick day - with you."

Regina crossed her arms. Emma wondered what she could possibly be mad at her this time. "Oh, so you're aware of us? Good - that's why I'm here. Because I'm also aware of your relationship with him."

Emma raised an eyebrow. "I don't have a relationship with him."

"Oh? So, nothing's ever happened between the two of you? You forget, Miss Swan, I have eyes everywhere."

"Nothing that meant anything." It the drunken impulse of someone in a terrible relationship. If Regina knew about the kiss she probably also knew everything Graham had said.

"Well, of course not. Because you're incapable of feeling anything for anyone. There's a reason you're alone, isn't there?"

"All due respect, the way I live my life is my business."

"It is until it infringes on my life. Stay away from Graham. You may think you're doing nothing, but you're putting thoughts in his head. Thoughts that are not in his best interest. You are leading him on a path to self-destruction. Stay away."

Lacey entered the room as Regina was about to leave. "And what are you doing here Miss French?"

"I thought I'd check on Graham but I guess he took my advice and went home."

"He took a sick day," Emma said. Was Graham really sick? Emma had thought that he was just hungover. "He saw you?"

"Yeah. He had this terrible fever and asked..." Lacey's eyes flickered over to Regina for a second. It was barely noticeable but it Emma was sure it meant something. "If I was feeling okay."

"He went all the way to your class to ask you that?" Regina asked.

Lacey shrugged. "Sick people do odd things sometimes. Besides I can infect plenty of students if something is going around. Maybe we should check his place next."

"I'll do that," Regina said. She walked past Lacey scrolling.

Lacey walked over to Emma who waited until she was sure that Regina was gone before she asked "Okay, but what did he really say?"

* * *

Graham rang the doorbell at the Mills House. Henry answered the door.

"Hey, Sheriff. My mom's not here." That was a relief to hear. Graham couldn't stand to have her send him home when he was so close to answers.

"Actually, uh, I'm here to see you, Henry. I was hoping you could help me."

"Help you with what?"

"It's about your book. Am I... in it?"

* * *

Graham and Henry were sitting on Henry's bed. Henry had his book open in his lap.

"When did your flashes begin?"

"Right after I kissed Emma."

"You kissed my mom? What did you see?"

"A wolf. I saw that I had a knife in my hand and I was with this woman. She had black hair and rosy cheeks."

"Were you about to hurt her?"

"Yes!"

"That's Snow White. Which makes you the Huntsman."

"I also saw another woman. She was in this tower and dressed in rags. I knew her somehow."

Henry rubbed his chin like he had seen people do on TV. "Maybe that was Rapunzel? Or Sleeping Beauty?"

"She didn't have hair that long." She wasn't sleeping either but maybe it was before her sleeping curse was cast. "So you really think that I could be another person?"

"Makes totally sense. You were raised by wolves. That's why you saw one."

"I'm remembering this because I kissed your mother? H-How is that possible?"

"Well, you two do have a special connection. She owes you her life."

"How?" Had he known Emma then? How would he have forgotten that?

"Snow White's her mother. And you spared her. If you hadn't, my mom wouldn't have been born."

"W-what happened after I spared Snow White?"

"The Queen took your heart. She ripped it out. It's kind of her thing. She never wanted you to feel ever again."

"Let me see the book." Henry handed him the book and he turned to a page with the Evil Queen in front of her vault. "What's that? I saw that too. The wolf was howling at it."

"That's her vault. That's where she put your heart."

"The wolf wants me to find it. Thank you Henry." He ran out the door.

* * *

Emma and Lacey waited for Graham just outside Regina's House.

"Hey!" Emma said. "I hear that you're having a rough day."

"Who says?" Graham asked.

"Pretty much everyone," Emma answered.

"Graham you should go home and get some rest," Lacey said.

"I'm fine," he said.

"No, Graham," Emma replied. "You're not fine. You just went to see a 10-year-old for help."

"He seems to be the only one making sense." _I wish that you had seen the visions as well. Then maybe you'd understand that something is going on._

"What's going on?" Emma asked. "What's...really going on?"

"It's my heart. I need to find it."

"You can feel," Lacey said. "You've always been a caring and gentle person."

 _Did you think that back then?_ Graham thought. _When_ _you were locked in that tower? Who are you really? Who am I?_

"Okay," Emma said. "So how are you going to do that?"

"I just need to follow the wolf."

"What?" Emma asked. "What wolf?"

"From my dreams. He is going to help me find my heart."

"I'm sorry," Emma said. She exchanged looks with Lacey. "I...thought that we were talking in a metaphor here. You really think that you don't have a heart?"

"It's the only thing that makes any sense. It's the only thing that explains why I don't feel anything."

"Listen to me, Graham. You have a heart. I can prove it." Emma placed her hand on his chest to feel a beat. "See, it's beating. It's real." She grabbed his hand and placed it on his chest. "Feel that? That is your heart."

"No. It's the curse."

"You can't really believe that's true." Emma and Lacey were suddenly staring at something behind him.

"What?" He looked behind him and there was the wolf. He looked back at Emma and then went after it. Emma and Lacey followed him.

* * *

They end up chasing after the wolf into the Storybrooke Graveyard. Lacey vaguely remembered being here once, back when her mother died.

"Graham. Graham be careful!" Emma called after him.

"It's my friend. It won't hurt us." The wolf stopped and howled briefly, then it ran further into the graveyard. The wolf continued to run and they follow pursuit. They lose the wolf but Graham notices a crypt.

"Where could it have gone?" Lacey asked. None of this made any sense.

"What is it?"

"It's my heart. It's in there. I have to look in there."

He walked towards the crypt but Emma stepped in front of him. "Oh, no. Stop, stop."

"I have to get in there. Please."

"Graham," Emma said, "come on. You really think that you're heart is in there." He nodded. "Okay. Let's find out." Emma attempted to open the door but was locked. "Come on!" She kicked the door open and they entered.

Once inside Graham scoured the room for his heart. There was a huge coffin in the middle of the room. The inscription read **Henry Mills. Beloved father**.

"It's got to be in here. Somewhere." He looked at the walls. "There's got to be a hidden door. A lever." He tried to open an urn. "Something."

"Graham. Hey, Graham. There's nothing in here."

"There has to be. If there isn't, then-"

"You guys?"

They both looked at Lacey. "The coffin. It's the big enough to hide an entrance."

"Oh, no!" Emma said. "We already broke into someone's tomb. You can't seriously be suggesting we move a coffin."

"I need to find my heart Emma," Graham said. He pushed against the coffin. To her surprise the coffin started to move. He kept pushing until stairs were revealed. Graham went down the stairs and Emma and Lacey followed after him.

He rushed down the stairs so fast that it was a wonder that he didn't fall.

"The vault."

Emma and Lacey were behind him so they didn't understand what he meant until a few minutes later. There was a vault of small drawers, the light from up ahead made the drawers visible. Emma was glad that they hadn't closed the crypt doors behind them, though if anyone came by and saw the crypt open she didn't know how they were going to explain it.

"My heart I can feel it," Graham said. He walked towards the drawers.

"This place is just for storage," Emma said. "We should leave before someone shows up."

Graham opened one of the drawers and took out a small chest. "You'll believe me now." Graham opened the chest. His heart glowed brightly. He could hear it beat from where he stood. He gestured for them to come over. Lacey and Emma walked over and stood at separate sides of him so they could get a good look.

Lacey and Emma looked at each other and then back at the chest. They could tell that they were both thinking the same thing.

"Graham," Lacey said softly. "What do you think that is?"

Emma tugged on his arm. "Come on, let's go." If she could get him out of here maybe she could get him to Archie.

"It's my heart," Graham said. He looked at Lacey, his face a mixture of fear and confusion. Then realisation dawned on him. "It's the curse. You can't see it because of the curse." He looked at Emma. "But why can't you see it?"

"We can see it," Emma said. "It's just not a body part. Graham that's a gem." A large shiny red gem.

He took his heart out of the chest and stuffed it down his shirt. "I know this sounds unbelievable but it's my heart. You have to trust me. I don't know to put it back in but if we leave it here I'll never be out of Regina's control."

"You can't just rob the major!" Emma said.

Graham walked over to the drawers and put the chest back where it came from. He closed the drawer. "It's not robbing. It's getting back what's mine."

Lacey put both of her hands to her own face. "I've helped commit a crime!"

He sighed. "I know it doesn't make any sense. I know that you don't have any logical reason to but you have to trust me. Leaving with my heart will save my life." He walked past them and went up the stairs.

Emma didn't know what stopped her from at least trying to stop him. Oddly it felt like this was supposed to happen. For a moment the wolf who stopped her from leaving town flashed to mind. _Different coloured eyes like the one we followed here._ Emma shook her head. It was just a coincidence. She wasn't going to lose her mind over this.

Wordlessly Emma and Lacey followed Graham up the stairs.

* * *

Coming up is where I really start to diverge from canon.


End file.
